Kenya Sugar Board launches comprehensive guide to boost sugarcane farming

KENYA – The Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) has introduced a comprehensive guide aimed at empowering sugarcane farmers across the country. 

Developed with support from the German Development Agency (GIZ) and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), this initiative addresses the various stages of the sugarcane farming cycle, from land preparation and planting to harvesting and post-harvest handling. 

The guide incorporates modern agricultural research findings tailored to Kenya’s diverse agro-ecological zones, ensuring farmers can maximize yields while preserving soil health and preventing degradation.

Modern solutions for sustainable farming

GIZ Project Manager David Kersting highlighted that the Kenya Sugar Industry Grower’s Guide provides practical solutions to common challenges faced by sugarcane farmers. 

“This guide is a significant step towards enhancing the productivity and sustainability of the sugar sector in Kenya,” he said. “It aligns modern farming techniques with the country’s ecological principles, ensuring that farming becomes more profitable and environmentally sustainable.”

The guide is not just a manual for current practices but a blueprint for the future of sugarcane farming in Kenya. It introduces innovations such as drone technology for conducting a sugar census—a technology currently being piloted—that will streamline planning and management of the crop. 

This technological advancement is expected to change the way data is gathered and utilized in the sector, offering farmers better insights for effective decision-making.

Revitalizing the sugar sector

Kenya Sugar Board Chairman Nicholas Gumbo emphasized that the guide is part of a strategy to revive the sugar sector, which has long faced numerous challenges. 

“Through this initiative, we are aiming to reduce the cost of cane development to guarantee maximum benefits for farmers,” he said during the launch in Kisumu. “We are not only focusing on producing sugar but also exploring other products along the value chain, such as biofuel, industrial alcohol, spirits, briquettes, and paper from sugarcane by-products.”

This diversification is seen as crucial for building a climate-resilient economy. 

“We are just scratching the surface,” Gumbo added. “By training farmers on the production of briquettes from bagasse, we will not only lower the cost of cane production but also contribute to the broader environmental goals.”

The enactment of the Sugar Bill 2022, which led to the re-establishment of the Kenya Sugar Board, marked a significant milestone for the sector. 

The bill aims to regulate the sector, enhance production, milling efficiency, and provide funding to transform the industry. 

“The reforms initiated by the government under President William Ruto are set to uplift the sugar sector economically,” said KSB Acting Chief Executive Officer Jude Cheserem.

Empowering farmers through innovation

GIZ representative David Castin echoed the sentiment, highlighting the need to empower farmers with different tools to boost yields. 

“This guide prepares the ground for more sustainable food systems while enhancing soil health and productivity,” he said during the launch on the sidelines of the ongoing Sugar Industry Innovative Symposium Expo in Kisumu.

The symposium itself is a platform for showcasing innovations, with participants including policymakers, farmers, millers, researchers, and industry players. 

Among the showcased innovations was the use of drone technology for sugarcane census, which promises to streamline data collection and planning in the sector. Cheserem welcomed these innovations, noting that they are crucial for driving the sector forward.

Brighter future for the sugar sector

The government, in partnership with its development partners, has developed a detailed production manual with an aim of boosting cane productivity. 

This collaboration brought together KSB, GIZ, the Agricultural Food Authority (AFA), and KALRO. 

“We are proud to be part of this milestone because this revised sugarcane growers’ guide is based on ecological principles,” Castin said.

According to AFA director Hon Samuel Ong’ou, the sector is undergoing a transformative phase with the new Sugar Act addressing long-standing challenges faced by farmers. 

“President Ruto’s commitment to reviving this sector through vigorous reforms shows that we are on the right path,” Ong’ou noted.